In Cooperstown, it's not all baseball

October 7, 2005

Where did you go? Cooperstown, N.Y., home of the Baseball Hall of Fame and stomping ground of 19th-century author James Fenimore Cooper, of "The Last of the Mohicans" and "Deerslayer" fame.

Where did you stay? The Lake 'N Pines Motel, about seven miles from town. Perched on a slope above sparkling Lake Otsego, it features comfy rooms and breakfast overlooking the lake, plus two heated swimming pools, for about $135 per night.

What did you do? Toured the Hall of Fame, drooled over World Series rings, and ogled the famed Honus Wagner baseball card - the holy grail of card collecting. Visited the Fenimore Art Museum (my family's two baseball fans opted to take a one-hour scenic railroad excursion instead) to catch an exhibition of American Indian Art from the Eugene and Clare Thaw Collection [on view through Dec. 31]. Played old-time games and patted the sheep at the Farmers' Museum.

Where did you eat? A mile out of town, the Fenimore Museum café boasts gourmet lunches on the terrace, but otherwise, the locals travel 12 miles to Oneonta for excellent thin-crust pizza at Italian Kitchen.